Sikkim hoping to be HIV/AIDS free State by 2020

EOI
Gangtok : Sikkim governor Srinivas Patil inaugurated a two day long Red Ribbon Carnival of RED FEST III in the presence of CM Pawan Kumar Chamling. The programme was organized by the Sikkim State AIDS Control Society at MG Marg. The programme was also attended by Speaker of Sikkim Legislative Assembly KT Gyaltsen, Health Minister DN Takarpa, HRDD Minister NK Pradhan and various senior government officials among several others. The inaugural programme started with the welcome speech by Project Director of Sikkim State AIDS Control Society Dr Uttam Pradhan and Medical Superintendent of STNM Hospital Dr Yogesh Verma. Governor Patil in his address appealed for commitments from all sections of the society for complete eradication of HIV infections from Sikkim and to work ahead to achieve the goal ‘Getting to Zero’ set by WHO. He further urged the people to collaborate with concerned stakeholders and spread awareness on the disease. 

Chamling stressed that spreading awareness is the only medium to reach out to far flung people of the state. He further shared his vision of having a HIV/AIDS free Sikkim by the year 2020 while urging the Health Department and stakeholders to work on curbing HIV from the society. He also directed the Health Department to submit reports on HIV along with new proposals to the government at the earliest. The latter half of the function witnessed Governor Patil and CM Chamling felicitating four Red Ribbon Clubs for their outstanding contribution in HIV/AIDS mitigation. The four Red Ribbon Clubs were RRC Mellidara South Sikkim, RRC Naga North Sikkim, RRC Department of Nursing Manipal and RRC Tingley Secondary School South Sikkim. Meanwhile, a voluntary Blood Donation camp was also organised during the day. The programme also saw three theme based songs presented by the finalists of Multi-Media Campaigns of past three years.